The present disclosure is directed generally to methods and apparatus related to antimicrobial products for use in neutralizing harmful pathogens and, more particularly, to methods and apparatus that include an antimicrobial alloy core encased in a protective shielding that neutralizes the pathogens without physical contact.
Currently, there exists a large variety of strains of antibiotic resistant virulent microbes. Such microbes are known to cause a variety of diseases. Microbes like methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strain ATCC 6538, which, if left untreated, can lead to sickness and even death. This problem is especially prevalent in locations (hospitals, hotels, public schools, elderly homes, etc.) where infectious microbes can easily be spread among its inhabitants. There is a need to frequently disinfect surfaces that people may come into contact with. Additionally, microbes such as E. Coli and Salmonella are known to be found in food manufacturing and preparation facilities where the possibility exists for the microbes to be located on surfaces that contact food items before they are packaged or prepared for human consumption. Such locations and facilities require frequent cleaning using antimicrobial agents to disinfect surfaces that may harbor infectious microbes.
At least some known antimicrobial agents include chemical antimicrobial agents, e.g., disinfectants. However, at least some chemical antimicrobial agents may be harmful to both the environment and the person coming into contact with them. Also, at least some chemical antimicrobial agents lose their antimicrobial effectiveness within a relatively short time period as the microbes become resistant to the agent.
Another known antimicrobial agent includes an antimicrobial metallic alloy used to disinfect a surface having harmful microbes. Such alloys use a natural oligodynamic effect to reduce or eliminate the microbes that directly contact the surface of the alloy. However, at least some known antimicrobial metallic alloys are formed from materials that oxidize relatively easily, especially when exposed to external elements such as the open air or chemical antimicrobial agents that may be used to further eliminate the microbes. Additionally, the materials that make up many known antimicrobial metallic alloys are relatively soft and may be susceptible to marring, fragmentation, and other damage during use. Such qualities are undesirable, especially in food preparation products because of the risk of contamination, which may lead to illness.